Ben Rackstraw
@benrackstraw.bsky.social
Deputy Head Teacher | Quality of Education | Runner | Team English for Life
Reposted by Ben Rackstraw
An official hello from newest Co-headteacher Manjit. He returned to Reach this year and is 'all guns blazing', thanks to the humble digestive! See below to find out why he’s happy to be back. Join our online community Reach Out to receive blogs, events and vacancies: reachschools.uk/reach-out/
December 2, 2025 at 4:01 PM
An official hello from newest Co-headteacher Manjit. He returned to Reach this year and is 'all guns blazing', thanks to the humble digestive! See below to find out why he’s happy to be back. Join our online community Reach Out to receive blogs, events and vacancies: reachschools.uk/reach-out/
Reposted by Ben Rackstraw
How we support our SEN students develop their metacognitive skills is huge. I'm glad that this area is getting more focus now, since the updated EEF report.
On Monday I will be unpacking exactly how we can support our SEN students in developing their metacognitive skills
calendly.com/ordinaryclas...
On Monday I will be unpacking exactly how we can support our SEN students in developing their metacognitive skills
calendly.com/ordinaryclas...
Metacognition for all- Thinking about Thinking for all - Michelle Haywood
Metacognition For All - Thinking About Thinking for All with Nathan Burns.Metacognition is a hugely important part of effective learning, for all students. The crucial word here, is all. This 60-minut...
calendly.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:19 PM
How we support our SEN students develop their metacognitive skills is huge. I'm glad that this area is getting more focus now, since the updated EEF report.
On Monday I will be unpacking exactly how we can support our SEN students in developing their metacognitive skills
calendly.com/ordinaryclas...
On Monday I will be unpacking exactly how we can support our SEN students in developing their metacognitive skills
calendly.com/ordinaryclas...
Reposted by Ben Rackstraw
Interesting exploration of 'I do/we do/you do' and 'guided - independent practice' from Tom Sherrington. If things feel too linear and straight-forward, they probably need more thinking! All the details matter.
teacherhead.com/2025/11/21/e...
teacherhead.com/2025/11/21/e...
Exploring confusion around modelling: “I do, we do, you do” vs “Guided and Independent Practice”
In the last couple of days I’ve seen a couple of resources posted online that made me question my understanding of the idea of ‘I do, we do, you do’ and how this fits with ideas o…
teacherhead.com
November 23, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Interesting exploration of 'I do/we do/you do' and 'guided - independent practice' from Tom Sherrington. If things feel too linear and straight-forward, they probably need more thinking! All the details matter.
teacherhead.com/2025/11/21/e...
teacherhead.com/2025/11/21/e...
Reposted by Ben Rackstraw
💡NEW POST💡
‘Feedback: A message in a bottle’
“If teachers are pouring hours into writing feedback, they need to know it won’t drift aimlessly like a message in a bottle, but land exactly where and how they intend.”
alexquigley.co.uk/feedback-a-m...
‘Feedback: A message in a bottle’
“If teachers are pouring hours into writing feedback, they need to know it won’t drift aimlessly like a message in a bottle, but land exactly where and how they intend.”
alexquigley.co.uk/feedback-a-m...
Feedback: A message in a bottle
Approaches to feedback, such as written marking or 'whole class feedback', are popular classroom strategies that are undertaken daily with students of all ages and stages. But do they truly land with ...
alexquigley.co.uk
November 9, 2025 at 12:29 PM
💡NEW POST💡
‘Feedback: A message in a bottle’
“If teachers are pouring hours into writing feedback, they need to know it won’t drift aimlessly like a message in a bottle, but land exactly where and how they intend.”
alexquigley.co.uk/feedback-a-m...
‘Feedback: A message in a bottle’
“If teachers are pouring hours into writing feedback, they need to know it won’t drift aimlessly like a message in a bottle, but land exactly where and how they intend.”
alexquigley.co.uk/feedback-a-m...
Reposted by Ben Rackstraw
In my latest Substack post, I look at why schools are so complex - and why that’s what makes them beautiful, not broken.
📖 The Miracle of Schools
👉 enserm.substack.com/p/the-miracl...
📖 The Miracle of Schools
👉 enserm.substack.com/p/the-miracl...
The Miracle of Schools
Why Simplistic Narratives Miss the Point
enserm.substack.com
November 3, 2025 at 4:08 PM
In my latest Substack post, I look at why schools are so complex - and why that’s what makes them beautiful, not broken.
📖 The Miracle of Schools
👉 enserm.substack.com/p/the-miracl...
📖 The Miracle of Schools
👉 enserm.substack.com/p/the-miracl...
Reposted by Ben Rackstraw
It was a pleasure to visit @liftschools.org Firth Park Academy
🔹Discuss school improvement with Nigel Whittle
🔸Look at progress since ResearchEd Warrington
🔹 Meet colleagues
🔸Talk T&L playbooks
#Thingsarechanging
🔹Discuss school improvement with Nigel Whittle
🔸Look at progress since ResearchEd Warrington
🔹 Meet colleagues
🔸Talk T&L playbooks
#Thingsarechanging
October 15, 2025 at 2:42 PM
It was a pleasure to visit @liftschools.org Firth Park Academy
🔹Discuss school improvement with Nigel Whittle
🔸Look at progress since ResearchEd Warrington
🔹 Meet colleagues
🔸Talk T&L playbooks
#Thingsarechanging
🔹Discuss school improvement with Nigel Whittle
🔸Look at progress since ResearchEd Warrington
🔹 Meet colleagues
🔸Talk T&L playbooks
#Thingsarechanging
Reposted by Ben Rackstraw
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 ⬇️
“Teachers are not broken and they don’t need us to fix them. They need us to walk alongside them.”
— Jim Knight, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘊𝘺𝘤𝘭𝘦
“Teachers are not broken and they don’t need us to fix them. They need us to walk alongside them.”
— Jim Knight, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘊𝘺𝘤𝘭𝘦
October 7, 2025 at 6:11 PM
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 ⬇️
“Teachers are not broken and they don’t need us to fix them. They need us to walk alongside them.”
— Jim Knight, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘊𝘺𝘤𝘭𝘦
“Teachers are not broken and they don’t need us to fix them. They need us to walk alongside them.”
— Jim Knight, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘊𝘺𝘤𝘭𝘦
Reposted by Ben Rackstraw
@lilystaff.bsky.social English Lead at Reach Academy Hanworth Park has written a Children's Commissioner blog about their Reading Programme's success. We're so proud of our pupils! www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/news-and-blo... Join our education community here: reachschools.uk/reach-out/
September 30, 2025 at 3:15 PM
@lilystaff.bsky.social English Lead at Reach Academy Hanworth Park has written a Children's Commissioner blog about their Reading Programme's success. We're so proud of our pupils! www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/news-and-blo... Join our education community here: reachschools.uk/reach-out/
Reposted by Ben Rackstraw
Most students can spot a metaphor. Few can define one. Teach tenor, vehicle and ground. Metaphor is transport: the vehicle carries the tenor across the ground. Stop device-spotting. Start explaining how the image reshapes the idea and why it matters.
open.substack.com/pub/daviddid...
open.substack.com/pub/daviddid...
Teaching metaphor using tenor, vehicle and ground
Giving students names for the parts of metaphor can help them to better understand how and why they are effective
open.substack.com
September 7, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Most students can spot a metaphor. Few can define one. Teach tenor, vehicle and ground. Metaphor is transport: the vehicle carries the tenor across the ground. Stop device-spotting. Start explaining how the image reshapes the idea and why it matters.
open.substack.com/pub/daviddid...
open.substack.com/pub/daviddid...
Reposted by Ben Rackstraw
*NEW POST* The Enduring Persistence of Neuromyths in Education
A new study surveying over 3,000 Spanish teachers provides one of the most detailed snapshots to date.
Fantastic work from @juanfernandez.bsky.social @ferreromar.bsky.social and colleagues
open.substack.com/pub/carlhend...
A new study surveying over 3,000 Spanish teachers provides one of the most detailed snapshots to date.
Fantastic work from @juanfernandez.bsky.social @ferreromar.bsky.social and colleagues
open.substack.com/pub/carlhend...
Beyond Neuromyths: Why Teachers Still Embrace Ideas That Don't Work
A new study surveying over 3,000 Spanish teachers, offers the most comprehensive picture yet of educational misconceptions in the wild.
open.substack.com
July 20, 2025 at 7:35 AM
*NEW POST* The Enduring Persistence of Neuromyths in Education
A new study surveying over 3,000 Spanish teachers provides one of the most detailed snapshots to date.
Fantastic work from @juanfernandez.bsky.social @ferreromar.bsky.social and colleagues
open.substack.com/pub/carlhend...
A new study surveying over 3,000 Spanish teachers provides one of the most detailed snapshots to date.
Fantastic work from @juanfernandez.bsky.social @ferreromar.bsky.social and colleagues
open.substack.com/pub/carlhend...
Reposted by Ben Rackstraw
Proud of this one!
Our new OPEN ACCESS article: McMillan, Anderson & Jess (2025) Adaptive Teaching and the Interactional Order of Classrooms.
Scottish Educational Review (just published online).
brill.com/view/journal...
Our new OPEN ACCESS article: McMillan, Anderson & Jess (2025) Adaptive Teaching and the Interactional Order of Classrooms.
Scottish Educational Review (just published online).
brill.com/view/journal...
July 14, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Proud of this one!
Our new OPEN ACCESS article: McMillan, Anderson & Jess (2025) Adaptive Teaching and the Interactional Order of Classrooms.
Scottish Educational Review (just published online).
brill.com/view/journal...
Our new OPEN ACCESS article: McMillan, Anderson & Jess (2025) Adaptive Teaching and the Interactional Order of Classrooms.
Scottish Educational Review (just published online).
brill.com/view/journal...
Reposted by Ben Rackstraw
Wanting some end of year PD on effective questioning approaches and methods to develop metacognitive questioning in your classroom?
My third webinar - Getting Questions Right - is now available to access free online, with PPT too!
Get access, and share now! www.mrmetacognition.com/individual-t...
My third webinar - Getting Questions Right - is now available to access free online, with PPT too!
Get access, and share now! www.mrmetacognition.com/individual-t...
Online Metacognitive Training Courses | Mr Metacognition
Learn metacognitive strategies online. Individual training for teachers & educators. Expert-designed courses to enhance your professional practice.
www.mrmetacognition.com
July 14, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Wanting some end of year PD on effective questioning approaches and methods to develop metacognitive questioning in your classroom?
My third webinar - Getting Questions Right - is now available to access free online, with PPT too!
Get access, and share now! www.mrmetacognition.com/individual-t...
My third webinar - Getting Questions Right - is now available to access free online, with PPT too!
Get access, and share now! www.mrmetacognition.com/individual-t...
Reposted by Ben Rackstraw
🔥 16 hottest education related research papers from the last 8 weeks:
(all open source 🔓)
↓
(all open source 🔓)
↓
July 9, 2025 at 6:00 PM
🔥 16 hottest education related research papers from the last 8 weeks:
(all open source 🔓)
↓
(all open source 🔓)
↓
Reposted by Ben Rackstraw
New TES piece from me and back to an old bugbear of mine.
I thought we'd started to put it to bed, but it's marching back into lessons
www.tes.com/magazine/tea...
I thought we'd started to put it to bed, but it's marching back into lessons
www.tes.com/magazine/tea...
Why we shouldn’t rely on acronyms to help students write
Acronyms like PEE and AFOREST, designed to help students structure their writing, don’t come close to capturing the complexity of learning in English, writes Zoe Enser
www.tes.com
July 10, 2025 at 5:06 AM
New TES piece from me and back to an old bugbear of mine.
I thought we'd started to put it to bed, but it's marching back into lessons
www.tes.com/magazine/tea...
I thought we'd started to put it to bed, but it's marching back into lessons
www.tes.com/magazine/tea...
Reposted by Ben Rackstraw
New blog post.
Difficult conversations about Special Educational Needs.
bennewmark.wordpress.com/2025/06/24/d...
Difficult conversations about Special Educational Needs.
bennewmark.wordpress.com/2025/06/24/d...
June 25, 2025 at 7:25 PM
New blog post.
Difficult conversations about Special Educational Needs.
bennewmark.wordpress.com/2025/06/24/d...
Difficult conversations about Special Educational Needs.
bennewmark.wordpress.com/2025/06/24/d...
Reposted by Ben Rackstraw
Wow!! Metacognition webinar #1 was an absolute blast, and the recording is already available!
It was a joy to be joined live by so many amazing educators looking to find out more about metacognition!
The feedback so far has been amazing! Check this out...
It was a joy to be joined live by so many amazing educators looking to find out more about metacognition!
The feedback so far has been amazing! Check this out...
Online Metacognitive Training Courses | Mr Metacognition
Learn metacognitive strategies online. Individual training for teachers & educators. Expert-designed courses to enhance your professional practice.
sptr.eocampaign1.com
June 24, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Wow!! Metacognition webinar #1 was an absolute blast, and the recording is already available!
It was a joy to be joined live by so many amazing educators looking to find out more about metacognition!
The feedback so far has been amazing! Check this out...
It was a joy to be joined live by so many amazing educators looking to find out more about metacognition!
The feedback so far has been amazing! Check this out...
Reposted by Ben Rackstraw
Apart from unusual episodic events, what gets remembered is due to the degree of organisation with which it gets organised. Or, much as Michael Eysenck says.
It's still my favourite quote. Never loses its power.
It's still my favourite quote. Never loses its power.
June 16, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Apart from unusual episodic events, what gets remembered is due to the degree of organisation with which it gets organised. Or, much as Michael Eysenck says.
It's still my favourite quote. Never loses its power.
It's still my favourite quote. Never loses its power.
Reposted by Ben Rackstraw
*NEW POST* The first in a series of posts on how to move away from strategies and activities to applying the science of learning in a more effective way. carlhendrick.substack.com/p/bright-lin...
June 7, 2025 at 8:25 AM
*NEW POST* The first in a series of posts on how to move away from strategies and activities to applying the science of learning in a more effective way. carlhendrick.substack.com/p/bright-lin...
Reposted by Ben Rackstraw
Exclusive: Mums returning to teaching from maternity leave are more likely to stay in their jobs if they work part-time, a major new study suggests
Mums who return to teaching part-time more likely to stay
New study reveals how the first 12 months back are crucial for retaining new mums
buff.ly
June 8, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Exclusive: Mums returning to teaching from maternity leave are more likely to stay in their jobs if they work part-time, a major new study suggests
Reposted by Ben Rackstraw
🚨 Flash Sale Alert! 🚨
My first book, Inspiring Deep Learning with Metacognition, is now available at 37% off (now £13.27; was £20.99)
Develop your understanding of metacognition, and practical strategies to embed in the classroom!
👉 Grab your copy here: www.amazon.co.uk/Inspiring-De...
My first book, Inspiring Deep Learning with Metacognition, is now available at 37% off (now £13.27; was £20.99)
Develop your understanding of metacognition, and practical strategies to embed in the classroom!
👉 Grab your copy here: www.amazon.co.uk/Inspiring-De...
Inspiring Deep Learning with Metacognition: A Guide for Secondary Teaching: Amazon.co.uk: Burns, Nathan: 9781529789713: Books
Buy Inspiring Deep Learning with Metacognition: A Guide for Secondary Teaching 1 by Burns, Nathan (ISBN: 9781529789713) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orde...
www.amazon.co.uk
June 4, 2025 at 7:04 PM
🚨 Flash Sale Alert! 🚨
My first book, Inspiring Deep Learning with Metacognition, is now available at 37% off (now £13.27; was £20.99)
Develop your understanding of metacognition, and practical strategies to embed in the classroom!
👉 Grab your copy here: www.amazon.co.uk/Inspiring-De...
My first book, Inspiring Deep Learning with Metacognition, is now available at 37% off (now £13.27; was £20.99)
Develop your understanding of metacognition, and practical strategies to embed in the classroom!
👉 Grab your copy here: www.amazon.co.uk/Inspiring-De...
Reposted by Ben Rackstraw
Distractions consume more learning time than we tend to think.
Here's the lowdown:
↓
Here's the lowdown:
↓
June 1, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Distractions consume more learning time than we tend to think.
Here's the lowdown:
↓
Here's the lowdown:
↓
Reposted by Ben Rackstraw
Tracked data from over 100k English students shows:
• More than 1:4 pupils begin to disengage from school during Year 7
• Less than half ‘happy to go to school’
• Girls feel increasingly less safe at school
www.tes.com/magazine/news/secondary/school-engagement-plummets-year-7-research-finds?amp
• More than 1:4 pupils begin to disengage from school during Year 7
• Less than half ‘happy to go to school’
• Girls feel increasingly less safe at school
www.tes.com/magazine/news/secondary/school-engagement-plummets-year-7-research-finds?amp
School engagement plummets in Year 7, research finds
Separate studies warn that students’ enjoyment of lessons drops, and stress levels rise, after moving to secondary school
www.tes.com
May 20, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Tracked data from over 100k English students shows:
• More than 1:4 pupils begin to disengage from school during Year 7
• Less than half ‘happy to go to school’
• Girls feel increasingly less safe at school
www.tes.com/magazine/news/secondary/school-engagement-plummets-year-7-research-finds?amp
• More than 1:4 pupils begin to disengage from school during Year 7
• Less than half ‘happy to go to school’
• Girls feel increasingly less safe at school
www.tes.com/magazine/news/secondary/school-engagement-plummets-year-7-research-finds?amp
Reposted by Ben Rackstraw
Can we declare victory for the Math Wars? A new paper argues that it's not memorization *or* thinking strategies: it's both—but dosage matters, and order matters. And timed practice really matters. Read more at The Bell Ringer! hollykorbey.substack.com/p/the-end-of...
The end of the math wars?
Memorization or thinking strategies? It's both in the right dosage, argues a new paper
hollykorbey.substack.com
May 12, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Can we declare victory for the Math Wars? A new paper argues that it's not memorization *or* thinking strategies: it's both—but dosage matters, and order matters. And timed practice really matters. Read more at The Bell Ringer! hollykorbey.substack.com/p/the-end-of...
Reposted by Ben Rackstraw
🔥 IT'S FINALLY HERE 🔥
We know CPD doesn't work. Teachers don't enjoy it, and say they don't learn from it.
NO LONGER
...because CAROUSEL TEACHING is now officially here 🥳🥳
...bringing you CPD that works and helps you get better at teaching.
Read on 👇👇
We know CPD doesn't work. Teachers don't enjoy it, and say they don't learn from it.
NO LONGER
...because CAROUSEL TEACHING is now officially here 🥳🥳
...bringing you CPD that works and helps you get better at teaching.
Read on 👇👇
May 7, 2025 at 3:42 PM
🔥 IT'S FINALLY HERE 🔥
We know CPD doesn't work. Teachers don't enjoy it, and say they don't learn from it.
NO LONGER
...because CAROUSEL TEACHING is now officially here 🥳🥳
...bringing you CPD that works and helps you get better at teaching.
Read on 👇👇
We know CPD doesn't work. Teachers don't enjoy it, and say they don't learn from it.
NO LONGER
...because CAROUSEL TEACHING is now officially here 🥳🥳
...bringing you CPD that works and helps you get better at teaching.
Read on 👇👇
Reposted by Ben Rackstraw
Article of the year is right here!
The incredible @samgibbs.bsky.social argues with passion and clarity why the erosion of teacher autonomy has devastating consequences.
The incredible @samgibbs.bsky.social argues with passion and clarity why the erosion of teacher autonomy has devastating consequences.
The loss of teacher autonomy over the past decade threatens not only our pupils' education but also the future of the profession, warns @samgibbs.bsky.social
How we dumbed down teaching – and what we must do to fix it
Over the past decade, teaching has been pushed towards a prescriptive model that reduces intellectual curiosity and overlooks essential classroom engagement, argues Sam Gibbs
www.tes.com
May 7, 2025 at 5:28 AM
Article of the year is right here!
The incredible @samgibbs.bsky.social argues with passion and clarity why the erosion of teacher autonomy has devastating consequences.
The incredible @samgibbs.bsky.social argues with passion and clarity why the erosion of teacher autonomy has devastating consequences.